M114 armored fighting vehicle
M114 armored fighting vehicle
M114 armored fighting vehicle
Description
The M114 is a lightweight, low-silhouette vehicle, designed to complement the M113 in command and reconnaissance roles. It looks like a sleeker, lower M113. It can swim, propelled by its tracks, and is light enough to be transported by cargo aircraft and dropped by parachute. The M114 commander's cupola required that the hatch be opened to fire the .50 cal machine gun. The commander's hatch rotates 360 degrees with its .50 caliber machine gun and mount. The M114A1 allowed the firing of a .50 cal machine from the inside utilizing manual traverse and elevating mechanisms. The M114A2 (aka M114A1E1) had a hydraulically powered cupola and mounted the 20mm cannon M139. The observer in the rear had an M60 7.62mm machine gun mounted on a pedestal. There was stowage on the rear door for three M72A1 "LAW" anti-tank rockets.
The M114 is constructed of aluminum and weighs 13,100 lb (5.94 metric tons) empty, with a combat weight of 15,093 lb (6.846 metric tons). It is powered by a Chevrolet V-8 motor with a 283 cubic inch displacement. Engine was rated at 160 horsepower. It had a three-man crew, and a top speed of 36 mph (58 km/h).
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War became a testing ground for war equipment. Sometimes improvements were made in the United States and sent to Vietnam for testing, but often the projects originated in Vietnam. For example, the ACAV set (Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle kit for the M-113 and M551 Sheridan tank), which successfully met that war's specific needs; and the M114 armored reconnaissance vehicle, which proved inadequate and had to be withdrawn from Vietnam.
The M113 armored personnel carrier introduced in Vietnam in 1962 proved to be highly successful; consequently a similar smaller vehicle, the M114, was introduced in Vietnam the same year. The M113 equipped ARVN mechanized rifle squadrons, while the M114 equipped reconnaissance squadrons; an ARVN reconnaissance squadron consisted of a headquarters troop and three letter (line) troops, each organized with six M114s. Eighty M114s were used to equip four reconnaissance squadrons.
During combat operations in Vietnam, the M114 armored reconnaissance vehicle proved to be mechanically unreliable, underpowered, had extreme difficulty conducting cross country operations, and its lack of resistance to land mines was fatal; a mine that would nearly destroy a standard M113 ACAV would literally blast an M114 reconnaissance vehicle in half. By November 1964, the M114s had been removed from Vietnam and replaced by the dependable M113 ACAV. Unfortunately for the US Army, the combat experience of the M114 in Vietnam was ignored by the high command, and the M114 was issued to all reconnaissance units in Europe, Korea, the United States, etc.; anywhere but in Vietnam. In 1973, Gen. Creighton Abrams branded the M114 a failure and ordered it retired from the US Army.
Variants
T114 Test versions
M114 Production version
M114A1 new commander's weapon station allowing firing of the .50-cal machine gun from inside (manually powered cupola), reinforced trim vane
M114A2 (1969, initially called M114A1E1) replaced main armament with a Hispano-Suiza HS.820 20 mm gun (designated M139 in U.S. service). Used a hydraulically-powered cupola.
See also
G-numbers (G300)
List of U.S. military vehicles by model number
References
^ Starry
^ Dunstan
^ Dunstan
^ Starry
^ Dunstan p. 43
^ Starry
^ Starry p. 38
Dunstan, Simon. "Vietnam Tracks-Armor In Battle." 1982 edition; Osprey Publishing; ISBN 0-89141-171-2.
Starry, Donn A., General. "Mounted Combat In Vietnam." Vietnam Studies; First printed 1978-CMH 90-17.
External links
Custom M114 test video
Repaired SWAT M114 checkout
Restored M114 doing police work.
M114 command and reconnaissance carrier Walk around photos
ACRC M114 at the AFV Database
Running M114 at the Fort Snelling Military Museum
M114he Armored Jeep at Eaglehorse.org. History and details of shortcomings.
Categories: Cold War armored fighting vehicles of the United States | Armored fighting vehicles of the United States | Armoured personnel carriers of the Cold War | Reconnaissance vehicles | Tracked vehicles
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